Reachings, attainments, critiques. בע"ה

04 November 2008

In another post, I may consider an approach to war. For the time being, suffice it to say that in the world of nations as in the vegetable world, one must be assertive in order to survive.

This summer we raised some heirloom tomatoes. I was fascinated to see the red tomatoes grow and ripen on the vine. How many enemies they had--insufficient watering, squirrels, insects...In order to survive, the tomato plants devoted what water they could to growing the fruit. Those globes asserted their identity as they grew and prospered.

The struggle to survive is perhaps more dynamic in the animal and human worlds than in the vegetable one. All the more so in the world of nations. A nation, to survive--and certainly, to prosper--must assert itself in the world in the sight of its enemies and detractors. In this effort, it escapes me how self-flagellation serves a helpful purpose.

In simple terms: American self-loathing is not only unbecoming (because narcissistic); it is also self-destructive.